Sunday, November 14, 2021

NASA Rover Shares A Photo Of Spooky Mars 'Graveyard' On The Planet

Mars' rocky and dusty environment may not sound exciting, but the planet has repeatedly proven to be a visual treat. This latest photo proves that.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA rovers find tons of exciting things while exploring Mars, and in this latest example from Curiosity, it stumbled across a spooky 'graveyard' filled with lonely Martian rocks. It's been said before, and it'll be said again: Mars is one of the most visually striking planets in our galaxy. To some people, that may come as a surprise. Mars is a pretty desolate planet consisting of rocks, sand, dust, and freezing temperatures. Although Mars certainly isn't a good place for humans to live, its harsh environment has resulted in some genuinely wondrous sights.

This is something NASA's repeatedly proven with its Martian rovers — specifically, Curiosity and Perseverance. Both rovers are exploring Mars to look for signs of life and learn about its ancient past. They're also equipped with advanced cameras to take incredible pictures of their journies. In the past month alone, the rovers have shared images of layered rock formations, vast and empty landscapes, and even a rock that looks just like a frog. These aren't things most humans will ever be able to see with their own eyes, but with dozens of new photos uploaded every single day, Curiosity and Perseverance make the Mars experience accessible to everyone.

RELATED: Perseverance Just Found A Strange 'Mars Staircase' Made Out Of Rocks

In the latest photo captured by Curiosity, the rover shares one of its spookiest Mars pictures yet. The above image was acquired by NASA on November 10 and taken with Curiosity's Right Navigation Camera. It shows the Martian surface doing what it does best — being filled with rocks, sand, and rolling hills. This particular photo, however, gives the planet a very eerie feeling. For one thing, all of the rocks scattered on the ground below make it look like a small graveyard of sorts. The rocks appear to be fairly big and may be the result of a larger one that broke at some point. The black and white nature of the picture, along with some of the grainy details, also makes the whole thing that much creepier.




Mars Regularly Shows Off Its Spooky Side
Source: NASA/JPL-Caltec

For people who often follow these Mars photos, you'll know this isn't the first time Mars has taken on an eerie appearance. In late October, Perseverance found itself amidst a sea of large rocks while it was especially dark on the planet (seen above). Another photo from earlier in the year showcased the Sun casting a creepy green glow in the Martian sky. Mars may not be filled with green aliens or other monsters, but that's not to say it can't look pretty spooky from time to time.

For every spine-chilling image these rovers share, however, there are plenty of others that paint Mars in a much different light. Other photos have shown the planet's gorgeous dunes, intricate rock shapes, and sections that look like they belong right here on Earth. It's a shame Mars' atmosphere is so hostile to human life, because living on a planet that looks like it does sure would be something.


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